a main?' he answered evasively.
'Good! Lieutenant, find a glass, and the gentleman a seat. And here, for
my part, I will give you a toast The Cardinal--whatever betide!'

I drank it, and sat down to play with him; I had not heard the music of
the dice for a month, and the temptation was irresistible. But I was not
satisfied. I called the mains and won his crowns--he was a mere baby at
the game--but half my mind was elsewhere. There was something here that
I did not understand; some influence at work on which I had not counted;
something moving under the surface as unintelligible to me as the
soldiers' presence. Had the Captain repudiated my commission altogether,
and put me to the door or sent me to the guard-house, I could have
followed that. But these dubious hints, this passive resistance, puzzled
me. Had they news from Paris, I wondered? Was the King dead? Or the
Cardinal ill? I asked them, but they said no, no, no to all, and gave me
guarded answers. And midnight found us still playing; and still fencing.

CHAPTER IX. THE QUESTION

Sweep the room, Monsieur? And remove this medley? But M. le Capitaine--'

'The Captain is in the village,' I replied Sternly. 'And do you move.
Move, man, and the thing will be done while you are talking about it.
Set the door into the garden open--so.'

'Certainly, it is a fine morning. And the tobacco of M. le
Lieutenant--But M. le Capitaine did not--'

'Give orders? Well, I give them,' I answered. 'First of all, remove
these beds. And bustle, man, bustle, or I will find something to quicken
you!'

In a moment--'And M. le Capitaine's riding-boots?'

'Place them in the passage,' I replied.

'Oh! in the passage?' He paused, looking at them in doubt.

'Yes, booby; in the passage.'

'And the cloaks, Monsieur?'

'There is a bush handy outside the window. Let them air.'

'Ohe, the bush? Well, to be sure they are damp. But--yes, yes, Monsieur,
it is done. And the bolsters?'

'There also,' I said harshly. 'Throw them out. Faugh! The place reeks of
leather. Now, a clean hearth. And set the table before the open door,
so that we may see the garden--so. And tell the cook that we dine at
eleven, and that Madame and Mademoiselle will descend.'

'Ohe! But M. le Capitaine ordered the dinner for half-past eleven.'

'It must be advanced, then; and, mark you, my friend, if it is not ready
when Madame comes down, you will suffer, and the cook too.'

When he was gone on his errand,